Missouri Cop Resigns After Pointing Rifle at Ferguson Protesters

A suburban St. Louis cop who was suspended for pointing his semi-automatic rifle and threatening protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, has resigned, the police chief told the Associated Press. Lt. Ray Albers, who was put on indefinite leave from the St. Ann Police Department after being caught on a cellphone video that went viral, quit the job he had held since 1994 on Thursday. Albers could not be reached for comment.

The video showed the officer pointing his gun at a demonstrator who apparently had his hands up. He cursed and appeared to say, "I will ... kill you" before a sergeant made him lower his weapon and walk away. Albers was among the officers called in from neighboring towns to deal with unrest after a Ferguson police officer shot and killed an unarmed 18-year-old, Michael Brown on Aug. 9.

The video, which contains profanity, has gotten more than half a million hits on YouTube: